Skip-a-day mechanism for electrical timer switch

ABSTRACT

An electric switch and an electric motor with gear reduction unit for driving a switch actuating mechanism to close and open the switch at predetermined times each day. A skip-a-day mechanism for blocking switch operation on a selected day or days of the week. A pivoting plate yoke driven by the motor output wheel to actuate the switch. A pair of discs rotating together, with one disc being driven a step each day by the motor output wheel, and with the other disc controlling the position of a switch blocking lever by selectively positioned notches.

United States Patent Inventors William M. Poschman, II

North Las Vegas, Nev.; Lorna D. Poschman, wife of said William M. Poschman, deceased. App]. No. 10,878 Filed Feb. 12, 1970 Patented Apr. 6, 1971 SKIP-A-DAY MECHANISM FOR ELECTRICAL TIMER SWITCH Primary ExaminerJ. R. Scott Attorney-Harris, Kiech, Russell & Kern ABSTRACT: An electric switch and an electric motor with gear reduction unit for driving a switch actuating mechanism to close and open the switch at predetermined times each day. A skip-a-day mechanism for blocking switch operation on a selected day or days of the week. A pivoting plate yoke driven by the motor output wheel to actuate the switch. A pair of discs rotating together, with one disc being driven a step each day by the motor output wheel, and with the other disc controlling the position of a switch blocking lever by selectively 5 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

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I B Z/ s M 30 SKIP-A-DAY MECHANISM FOR ELECTRICAL TIMER SWITCH This invention relates to electric clock type mechanisms for operating electric switches and more particularly, to a mechanism for operating a switch at selected times in a repeating cycle and for skipping switch operation in selected cycles. The most common use for such a mechanism is in the operation of the electric switch one or more times per day, while providing for skipping or omitting the switch operation in one or more days of a week. The specific embodiment described herein provides'for closing and opening an electric switch once per day for six days, with no switch operation on the seventh day. In such a mechanism, the output wheel of the motor drive unit rotates one revolution in 24 hours and the skip-a-day discs rotate one revolution in seven days. Of course, any other timing arrangement can be obtained by suitable changes in the gears, wheel and discs.

A variety of motor driven switch mechanisms have been produced in the past, with varying degrees of complexity, cost, reliability and life expectancy. It is an object of the present invention to provide a timer switch mechanism utilizing a conventional motor and gear unit and a conventional switch and switch actuator, with a new and improved mechanism for selectively driving the switch actuator. It is an object of the invention to provide such a mechanism which is simple, reliable and durable and one which utilizes a minimum number of moving parts. A further object is to provide such a mechanism I which is readily set for the desired operating sequence.

It is a particular object of the invention to provide a switch operating mechanism having a pivoting plate driven by the motor output wheel to operate the switch between closed and open positions, and a pair of rotating discs also driven by the motor output wheel, with one disc providing the daily count and with the other disc controlling a lever on selected days for blocking switch operation.

The foregoing objects, advantages, features and results of the present invention, together with various other objects, advantages, features and results thereof which will be evident to those skilled in the timer art in the light of this disclosure, may be achieved with the exemplary embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in detail hereinafter.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side view of an electric timer incorporating a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an end view ofthe unit of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1, showing the mechanism in the switch open position for an operating day;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to that of FIG. 3 showing the mechanism in the switch closed position for an operating day;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to that of FIG. 3 showing the mechanism in the switch open condition for a nonoperating day; and

FIG. 6 is a view similar to that of FIG. 3 showing the mechanism in the blocked condition for a nonoperating day.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the electric timer switch includes a housing shown generally at 10, with an electric motor 11 supported on a plate 12 by posts 13. The motor II drives an output shaft 14 through a high speed gear unit I5 and a low speed gear unit 16, with the latter mounted between the plate 12 and a plate 17. An output wheel is mounted on the shaft 14 and held in place by a nut 21. In the particular embodiment illustrated, the motor is designed to be operated from a 60 cycle per second AC power source to rotate the wheel 20 one revolution in 24 hours.

An electric switch indicated generally at 24 is carried in the housing I0 between the plate I7 and another plate 25, with the plates being joined by spacers 26. The electric switch 24 is moved to the switch closed and switch open positions by a switch actuator pin 26 which projects through an opening 27 in the plate 25. In the embodiment illustrated, the switch actuator pin 26 is shown in the switch open condition in FIG. 3 and in the switch closed condition in FIG. 4.

Referring more particularly to FIG. 3, the mechanism includes a plate 30, a pair of discs 31, 32, and a lever 33. The plate 30 is pivotally mounted on plate 25 by a mounting pin 34. A boss 35 is carried on the plate 30 and projects into the path of drive pins 36, 37 carried on the wheel 20.

A plurality of threaded openings 38 is provided in the plate 20 for receiving the drive pins 36, 37. The openings 38 are positioned in two concentric circles, as seen in FIG. 2. The drive pins 36, 37 are designed to threadedly engage the openings 38, permitting placing of the drive pins on the wheel in any desired location. The circular path traced by the drive pin 36 is indicated on FIG. 3 at 40 and the circular path traced by the drive pin 37 is indicated at 41.

A toggle mechanism is mounted on the inner side of the plate 25, with a pin 46 projecting through an opening 47 and engaging a notch 48 in the plate 30.

As the wheel 20 rotates (clockwise as viewed in FIGS. 2- 6), the drive pin 36 will engage the boss 35 and pivot the plate 30 (counterclockwise as viewed in FIGS. 26). As the plate 30 and the pin 46 move past the center position of the toggle mechanism 45, the toggle action will move the pin 46 and plate 30 to the position of FIG. 4. At a later time, the drive pin 37 will engage the boss 35, as shown in FIG. 4, and move the plate 30 back to the position of FIG. 3.

The plate 30 includes means for engaging the switch actuator pin 26 for moving the switch to the closed condition as the plate 30 moves to the position of FIG. 4, and to move the switch to the open condition as the plate 30 moves to the posi tion of FIG. 3. In the embodiment illustrated, the outer end of the plate 30 terminates in a yoke comprising spaced members 52, 53. As the plate 30 pivots to the position of FIG. 4, the inner surface of the member 53 contacts the actuator pin 26 to close the switch. As the plate 30 moves to the position of FIG. 3, the inner surface of the member 52 contacts the pin 26 and opens the switch. This switch action is repeated with each revolution of the wheel 20. Additional switch cycles per revolution can be obtained by installing additional sets of drive pins on the wheel 20, with spacings as desired to achieve particular time intervals.

The discs 31, 32 are mounted on the plate 25 for rotation on a pin 55 and the discs are fastened together by a pin 56 for rotation in synchronism. A plurality of notches 57 is provided in the periphery of the upper disc 31 and in the embodiment illustrated, seven notches are utilized, one for each day of the week.

A drive pin 58 is carried on the wheel 20 and traces the circular path indicated at 59. The pin 58 engages a notch 57 of the disc 31, as illustrated in FIG. 3, to rotate the disc a portion of a revolution for each engagement. In the specific embodiment illustrated, the disc 31 is moved oneseventh of a revolution for each revolution of the wheel 20, i.e., the disc 31 is advanced one step each day.

A lever 33 is pivotally mounted on the plate 25 by a pin 62, with a spring 63 positioned in openings in the lever and the plate urging the lever clockwise as viewed in FIGS. 2-6. One end 64 of the lever 33 rides on the edge of the disc 32 and limits the clockwise motion of the lever during the operation as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. A notch 65 is provided in the disc 32 and typically has the same configuration as the notches 57.

When the discs 31, 32 are rotated to the position of FIGS. 5 and 6, the notch 65 in the disc 32 is opposite the end 64 of the lever 33, permitting clockwise movement of the lever to the position of FIG. 5. The other end 66 of the lever 33 engages the end 52 of the plate 30 when the switch is in the open condition of FIG. '5. When engagement of the drive pin 36 of the wheel 20 with the boss 35 of the plate 30 moves the plate counterclockwise, the lever 33 is moved to the position of FIG. 6, with the end 66 blocking movement of the switch actuator pin 26. Hence while the plate 30 has been moved to what would be the switch closed condition, by the drive pin 36, the lever 33 has blocked the switch operation. Subsequently, the drive pin 37 will move the plate 30 to the position of FIG. 5 and then the drive pin 58 will rotate the discs 31,

32 another step to move the lever to the nonblocking position, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

ln the particular embodiment illustrated, the drive pin 58 advances the discs 31, 32 one step at midnight. The drive pin 36 operates the plate 30 to close the switch at 8:00 am. and the drive pin 37 operates the plate 30 to open the switch at 2:00 pm. This operation will occur for six successive days, typically Monday through Saturday, with the Saturday condition illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. On the seventh day, the condition of FIGS. 5 and 6 obtains, with switch operation being blocked although the plate 30 is cycled over and back as on every other day. Of course, the blocking operation or skip-aday operation can be obtained for more than one day by making additional notches 65 in the disc 32.

Although an exemplary embodiment of the invention has been disclosed and discussed, it will be understood that other applications of the invention are possible and that the embodiment disclosed may be subjected to various changes, modifications and substitutions without necessarily departing from the spirit of the invention.

lclaim:

1. In an electric timer switch having a housing, a drive motor, a wheel driven by said motor, an electric switch, and a switch actuator for opening and closing said switch, the improvement comprising in combination:

a plate mounted on said housing for movement between a first position and a second position, with said plate cngageable with said switch actuator in driving relation;

plate drive means mounted on said wheel for periodically engaging said plate to drive said plate toward said second position and toward said first position in sequence;

first and second discs mounted on said housing for rotation together, said first disc having a plurality of driving notches equally spaced along the edge thereof, said second disc having at least one notch in the edge thereof;

disc drive means mounted on said wheel for periodically engaging driving notches of said first disc to drive said first disc stepwise;

a lever pivotally mounted on said housing and having a first member for engaging the edge of said second disc and having a second member for engaging said switch actuator for blocking movement of said switch actuator by said plate; and

a spring urging said lever toward said second disc and switch actuator so that said lever second member blocks said switch actuator when said lever first member enters a notch of said second disc.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said switch actuator includes an actuator pin. and said plate includes a yoke having spaced pin engaging surfaces, with said actuator pin positioned between said surfaces so that the travel of said plate is greater thanthe travel of said actuator as said switch is actuated.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 in which said lever second member includes a comer portion engaging said yoke when said lever first member enters a notch and then engaging said actuating pin when said plate moves toward said second position.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 in which said first and second discs comprise a pair of plates joined together for rotation in synchronism on a mounting pin.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 in which said plate drive means comprise a first boss removably mounted at a first radius and a second boss removably mounted at a second radius for engaging a cooperating boss on said plate, and said disc drive means comprises a third boss mounted at a third radius for engaging notches of said first disc. 

1. In an electric timer switch having a housing, a drive motor, a wheel driven by said motor, an electric switch, and a switch actuator for opening and closing said switch, the improvement comprising in combination: a plate mounted on said housing for movement between a first position and a second position, with said plate engageable with said switch actuator in driving relation; plate drive means mounted on said wheel for periodically engaging said plate to drive said plate toward said second position and toward said first position in sequence; first and second discs mounted on said housing for rotation together, said first disc having a plurality of driving notches equally spaced along the edge thereof, said second disc having at least one notch in the edge thereof; disc drive means mounted on said wheel for periodically engaging driving notches of said first disc to drive said first disc stepwise; a lever pivotally mounted on said housing and having a first member for engaging the edge of said second disc and having a second member for engaging said switch actuator for blocking movement of said switch actuator by said plate; and a spring urging said lever toward said second disc and switch actuator so that said lever second member blocks said switch actuator when said lever First member enters a notch of said second disc.
 2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said switch actuator includes an actuator pin, and said plate includes a yoke having spaced pin engaging surfaces, with said actuator pin positioned between said surfaces so that the travel of said plate is greater than the travel of said actuator as said switch is actuated.
 3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 in which said lever second member includes a corner portion engaging said yoke when said lever first member enters a notch and then engaging said actuating pin when said plate moves toward said second position.
 4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 in which said first and second discs comprise a pair of plates joined together for rotation in synchronism on a mounting pin.
 5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 in which said plate drive means comprise a first boss removably mounted at a first radius and a second boss removably mounted at a second radius for engaging a cooperating boss on said plate, and said disc drive means comprises a third boss mounted at a third radius for engaging notches of said first disc. 